Posted on 06/10/2016 12:59:27 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
Despite the tone of America's current presidential campaigns, it is, in fact, 2016. In theory, companies should understand the kinds of actions that might be interpreted as racist or sexist.
Unless, of course, those companies make laundry detergent in Italy or China. Or unless they're Fiat.
Alas, Fiat has learned that the hard way, after facing serious backlash over an owner's manual distributed to customers in Argentina.
Most startlingly, the manual assumed that cars would always be driven by men, with women only riding as "co-pilots" in the passenger's seat or back seat. It also assumed that women don't know how to wear pants.
Among the most egregious quotes from the manual (translated from Spanish by the BBC):
"If a lady's skirt is too short, we recommend that she travel in the backseat to keep our concentration."
"If the skirt is not that short but you tend to have a wandering hand, she should also travel behind."
Fiat says that the owner's manual has been pulled, but the Facebook page "Ni Una Menos" ("Not One Less") has posted several photos of the manual's pages. That means that they're on the internet, and since the internet is forever, those images will be, too.
Our take
Normally, we try to give companies the benefit of the doubt when they're staring down the barrel of a PR crisis. We understand that intentions can be misconstrued, or that human beings in front of microphones can go off-script. (Again, see the U.S. presidential election.)
In this case, we're not feeling that generous. The division that put together this manual--whether it was written and designed internally or by a third-party--failed in both content and tone. Management failed by approving it. Dealerships failed by handing it out.
Seriously: outside Saudi Arabia, how can anyone assume that the driver of a car will always be male? Or straight? That women will always be passengers, with no value other than their sexual allure? (FYI, the manual insisted that female co-pilots should "at least have nice legs".)
It's especially appalling that this would happen in Argentina, which has been grappling for years with the issue of violence against women. In fact, the group "Ni Una Menos" was launched to support a demonstration in 2015 that rallied in favor of enforcing laws that prohibit hate crimes based on gender.
Pulling the owner's manual is the least Fiat can do. How much further will the company go to make things right?
Who actually reads owner’s manuals?
Come on, with a title like that you need pictures, man, PICTURES/sheesh.
How SEXIST for the editors to assume the driver is male, simply because they refer to the passenger!
“If a lady’s skirt is too short, we recommend that she travel in the backseat to keep our concentration.”
“If the skirt is not that short but you tend to have a wandering hand, she should also travel behind.”
They presume lesbians don’t have wandering eyes and hands?!?!?!
Back seater.
Fiat’s been on my brown list since they featured a woman slapping a man (superbowl commercial a few years back). FUF!
Argies got no sense of humor
Those little Fiat 500s, I think, showed up on display at the local mall a few years ago. Being a geek, I’m always interested in fuel economy, so I checked the window sticker. I went slackjawed when I saw that it only gets 25 mpg. Bummer. Who would drive a little pos like that and not even get the benefit of respectable gas mileage?
Grow up and get over it.
At about 14 or 15 I drive my brother’s 124 right, exactly line that one, into our house when I mistook the clutch for the brake!
A kid I knew bought a new X/19. He loathed it, and it spent more time in the shop than on the road. He also discovered the trade-in value was nil.
The X1/9 would actually rust in the showrooms of Chicago.
My boss bought his wife one in the late 70’s, it looked great - for TWO years. Then the rust struck with a vengeance, exceptionally horrible on a white car.
If you want fuel mileage, get a chevy spark. I rented one to go to a wedding and got 38 MPG without even trying hard. And it’s roomy too. I’m 6’ 4” and was completely comfortable. Plus it’s less expensive too.
CC
My BMW 325Ci gets 35 without trying. I got 40 on a trip to the shore once.
And it’s not built by union shills. And the difference is obvious.
Did you hear about the new Italian Tire Company. The tires are so good that:
Dago thru mud.
Dago thru rain.
Dago thru snow.
and when dago flat dago wap wap wap wap.
Thought the X/19 was very cool up until I had a chance to buy one for a great price. Asked a friend’s dad about the one he had new a few years previous— he asked if I remembered him driving it very often and why did I suppose he got rid of it? He told me that I should avoid it even if it was $100 and that I’d be better served by buying a new pair of shoes and cutting out a picture of one from a magazine because it would be about the same situation but less aggravating or expensive.
I had to laugh when Fiat bought Chrysler. Apparently, they were going after the same market segment-— those that thought vehicle reliability and quality are unnecessary. My dads best friend owned a Chrysler dealership and they bought shitbox after shitbox from him.
One particular gem was a new, fully-loaded gold 1975 Town & Country wagon. With less than two hundred miles on the odometer, my mom was very unhappy because it was clunking in the back, shuddering, and not very smooth. They put it on lift and wAtched the rear suspension and bent driveshaft drop. Apparently, the leaf springs were no longer (ever?) bolted on and gravity and the shock absorbers were holding things together. Was immediately replaced with a green one that experienced almost perpetual vapor lock for the few months they had it.
Dealer made it right by by swapping them a new 75 Chrysler imperial for it. The Imperial’s hideaway light covers and air conditioning compressor didn’t last through the summer. And then came the Chrysler Cordobas....
Seriously, this was in a MANUAL?
Bad enough in any marketing brochures, which us what it sounds like.
Italians. Please.
And as if Fiats are so manly. Anything but. Clown cars. But then, most every foreign car is.
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